Service Design as a Transformational Driver Toward Person-Centered Care in Healthcare

Abstract

Increasingly, healthcare systems around the globe are looking to transition toward person-centered models of care. However, how to effectively support this complex transition is not clear. Here we forward service design as a key driver to aid in catalyzing this transformation. In this chapter, we integrate literature on service design (SD) and person-centered care (PCC) to better understand how a SD approach can aid in the transition toward PCC. Synthesized from existing literature, this chapter offers a framework for transitioning from the biomedical model toward PCC, highlighting key changes across four dimensions: contexts, roles, processes, and outcomes. We then show the alignment between PCC and SD across these dimensions and elucidate how SD can help to catalyze related changes with the support of specific methods. In doing so, this chapter offers a guide for healthcare practitioners looking to use SD to support the transformation toward PCC and builds a platform for future research at the intersection of SD and PCC.